


Armin's Mice

by RedlaSunShowers029



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Blood, Catboy!Armin, Eremin - Freeform, M/M, Macro/Micro, Mouse!Eren, Multi, Neko!Armin, Other, don't know what else to tag this, ish, mild mentions of experimentation, multiple mentions of blood, protective!armin, there is some mild mawplay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2019-08-21 05:43:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16570745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedlaSunShowers029/pseuds/RedlaSunShowers029
Summary: Eren is a mouse who's been stuck on a farm with cats running rampant. Armin is a "defect," an experimental chimera of sorts whose only "purpose" is to serve as a mouser - something which he is beyond poor at. The notion of trusting a feline-human hybrid doesn't exactly please Eren, but frankly, it's his only chance.





	1. An Unlikely Ally

A intense pain began to creep up in the rodent's legs as he continued to run, fiery and screaming to rest. _I can't continue on like this... Sooner or later there will be a cat or something coming to carry me off, and then I really won't be able to make it! Damn it! I've got to find shelter somewhere..._ The mouse continued on the winding path, occasionally brushing past sharp thorns that got caught in his fur and drew crimson drops of blood that stained his hazelnut-colored fur. He was so close, just a little ways, and he was sure he'd find somewhere suitable. Two steps more, three, four... The bright red paint of a barn came into view... Perfect. He'd just have to remain wary as possible of threats. At least there, he'd be warm and comfortable, and could possibly serve as refuge to heal his various wounds. It was dangerous, but his best option... Ah, well. A hoot of a screech owl in the distance made him freeze up, gray-green eyes focusing on the direction it was coming in. The tone indicated a vast amount of distance: it wouldn't hurt him. But it increased his urgency as he slipped into the barn, lay down on a patch of hay, and nearly stopped dead at what he saw. 

Right over in one corner slept a cat- well, not an average cat in any case. No, not a cat... A boy... Who somewhat resembled a cat, sleeping with his hands tucked behind his head, on one side, legs against one another on a small haystack. A pair of feline ears were drawn back, a thick explosion of furry tail lay limply next to him, occasionally twitching, stirring, like his ears trying to pick up sound in this dreary state. A few patches of fur adorned each hand from what the mouse could see, and sharp fangs clenched in a grimace completed the look, tattered brown clothing worn and ridden with holes in places, clothing that brought the word "poverty" to mind. Overall, he looked like a soul in torment, entranced in harsh memories and thoughts. An overall aura of broken being, twisted up inside by years of neglect. It was just something about his overall aura, messy bowl-cut hair, and scratch-covered limbs. But still, the mouse did not approach him. For a catboy so worn down, likely going without food for several days, a bite-sized mouse could appear quite appetizing if instinct came into play... A shudder animated his tiny body, fur standing up on end. And to think he had left his own cat-infested home only to find himself back in a place that appeared _even more_ as if cats were around every corner! Hopefully he could make it around... There was a small hole in the corner- perfect. 

With the catboy around, he was hesitant to move, yet slowly made his descent towards the corner. Better to be sheltered than out in the open with a possibly predatory creature like that lurking. Even he, however, couldn't help but feel sorry for the catboy, seeming so out of place and pushed around, blonde hair reflecting in the innocence of the moon: but he was not sympathetic enough to help him by filling his stomach, of course. Survival was still something he valued to his last breath. A few more steps... But he froze yet again at the sound of the creature shifting position. "Mousie..." The voice was somewhere between high-pitched and slightly deep, with a rather feminine ring to it: confused and almost... Gentle. _No, it's my mind playing tricks on my... I can't trust cat nor man, and he's both of them! How could I ever...?!_ Though it made him stop to think even still, surrounded by the conflict of the situation at hand, his circular ears waiting for another response. "Mrr? Mousie? Are you there?..." The blonde sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly with furry hands. 

Now the rodent had a feeling he was in trouble. The moment he came over, he'd be crushed, exterminated, eaten... The possibilities were endless, and he had little chance of a good end befalling him. It was better not to call attention to himself, he thought. He tried to walk over again, then froze at the tremors from the boy padding over on both his hands and feet in a somewhat catlike gait and sat down in front of him, tail twitching slightly in curiosity. The mouse's eyes widened in horror, mouth agape, slowly backing up. A pair of light blue eyes were glancing down at his nearly petrified form, the irises shining with the dearest concern and humanity. He didn't budge, either to advance nor walk in the other direction, and the little rodent soon felt cornered as his back pressed up against the very back of the barn. 

It was then that the catboy moved forward until he was a few inches from him, batting him out of the corner with a light touch and gentle hands until he was right in front of the gigantic-seeming youth hovering over him. By the looks of it, he was probably around fifteen. When he was satisfied with looking over the shivering, squeaking mouse, he averted his eyes calmly. Now the little creature had suspected to be thrown and bashed about- eaten alive, perhaps- yet none of that seemed to be happening. _Yet...._ he thought to himself quietly. No sign of moment whatsoever animated the catlike teen. Maybe he could try to escape...

"Wait!" The mouse froze up at the panic in the voice, the blue eyes almost seeming too large for his face. He was staring at something in the distance, something the mouse couldn't quite see. He couldn't understand the language... It sounded a bit like English mingled with a feline accent on the word. He backed up again, until the hybrid spoke again: "W-Wait, anything but... That direction...!!!" The rodent turned around to face him. "Don't you know we speak two different languages?! I can't understand a damn word you're saying! Just leave me a-a-Aaaaah...!" Right in the shadows, he saw what the catboy was looking at: in the dim light of the corridor, a fuzzy mottled tail twitched, and then, just as he noticed it, it was on him. 

Yet the actual feline didn't get to him in time. A hand pressed down on him swiftly yet lightly on his furry back, the fluffy golden fur of the teen brushing against him. Now he was terrified, as sharp claws raked against his captor's flesh until crimson droplets ran from the massive hand, seeping in between his fingers and  dripping down on the little rodent. "Damn you! Fucking damn you, shitty catboy! Every single night, EVERY single night, we go over this: what I find is _my prey!_ Whatever you manage to scavenge up with your weak little hands is _your prey_. There is a major difference between the two." The mottled cat licked one paw and brushed it against its orange-and-black ears in annoyance. "But M-Mindy... Y-You know I don't eat meat..." 

"You. Are. A. Cat. God damnit!" The cat phrased it so that every word rolled off of her rigid tongue at different intervals, spacing them so they turned into something similar to a hiss. "And you know that cats. Eat. Meat." The catboy's eyes darted to either side of him, before retorting with "But I'm only 25% cat... I-I looked it up and I..." Before he could finish, the claws directed his face, leaving a bloody trail on his left cheek. "Think talking back to your superior is funny?" Mindy snarled. "Now, hand over the mouse, Arlert. I don't have time for this, and unlike you, I have an average stamina that's on low right now. Either he and over the mouse, eat the damn thing already, or face the wrath of the master. Understood?!" Mindy asked, slowly creeping closer. 

"N-No! I-I'd much rather face whatever hell the master has planned for me than have to live down the horrid guilt of a murderer!" he mewed weakly, scooping up the mouse lightly and hugging it to his chest. "You can't make me slaughter innocent people!" At this sudden comeback, Mindy fell onto her back laughing. "People?! People, of all things?! Not even innocent beings- but people! Dear god, you've really lost it now!" Her fur stood on end from the vast amount of humor only funny to herself, taking a moment to calm down before turning dead serious and making her way over. "Give it up, unless you want to live the life of a servant forever. The longer you keep this up, the more hate and evils you'll have to face." 

A pair of need-sharp claws retracted from the hyperventilating boy's hand without the mouse in it, quickly smacking the cat right in the face so that she tumbled backwards. Furious, she shook her fur again, which was puffed up in sheer anger, unsure of what to do. _It's one of his rare painc-and-strike moments, is it? Would it be worth another shot to go after him?_ "I'm giving you one more chance: eat the mouse." "Y-You know I'm vegetarian.... I-I don't eat living creatures, remember? And I don't intend to; besides... None of you can control my diet." "That. Is. It!" Mindy snarled, her claws out, each one covered in blood, scratching him fiercely for a few moments and running off. "I don't give a damn about your little pets," she said, not even able to look back at him with her pride sincerely damaged, "but you win this time. However, don't expect the same next time. At any interval I see a mouse, a pet of yours or not..." Firm jaws shut quickly with a _snap!_ to exemplify her emotions and intentions, "Don't expect me to hold back a simple little... Craving." 

He watched her overly puffed-up tail swish away for a few moments until not a single black strand of fur could be seen, then gently cupped his hands to see the little rodent before him. "Mousie? Little mousie, are you alright?" A small trail of his own blood stained the rodent's chest, believable with the stiff position it was in, limp, and almost lifeless. Small, salty tears rolled down his cheeks in disbelief. "No... I-I killed him?..." _Maybe it's just pretending...? I've seen this a couple of times... He's probably frightened to death, poor thing. Setting him down might help..._

No sooner had he done this, the small rodent darted towards the entrance of the barn... This wouldn't do. As gently as possible, the blonde catboy scooped up the mouse yet again, met with a ton of terrified and angry squeaking from the little creature. He hadn't understood a single word of the conversation, only knowing it was something in cat's tongue. It didn't look good, but now he had an outlet for escape after the other cat left. Now, if he could get only get away from this strange being who was both cat and man at once... Then he'd have a chance to escape for good. "Mousie..." He heard that same voice again, still not understanding the meaning of it. "For the last time, I don't speak cat, you damned predator! And if you don't mind, I'd rather not end up being your dinner, either!" The blue irises lit up with surprise momentarily, then shrunk back to normal. "O-Oh, forrrrgive mew... I forrrrgot you can't underrrrstand cat's tongue." 

Now, this time he could roughly understand it; the language still had a heavy feline accent that was a bit difficult to hear through, yet still recognizable as the language of mice. But what he didn't understand was this: how the hell did the creature learn the language to begin with? And for what reason? As far as it seemed, he had some time to interrogate. _Don't lose your temper again, don't lose it... Just ask this feline what's going on. If I leave, I could still be eaten. Maybe, just maybe... He isn't that bad. What's there to lose?_ "T-That's much better." he stuttered. "However, where did you learn such a language?" "I don't rrrrrecognize you..." the feline churred after a moment. "Oh? W-Well, to answerrrr yourr question, I-I learned it from the others." The mouse cocked his head. "The others?" His fear was evaporating with large doses of incurable curiosity and the assurance of the catboy's current demeanor: he had plenty of time to maim and attack him, and none of that was apparent, not the slightest indication of hostility. 

"There are... Other mice, who I'm surre you'd like to meet at some interval of time. Of course, long as you don't run too far off, there's plenty of time to spare!" A small mew of delight was added to this, grinning widely in such an extent that the mouse could see each of his mildly yellow-stained, sharp teeth. This display, in joy or not, was no less than terrifying. It only confirmed his certainties that the teen could very easily turn on him if he wanted to, and could make quick work of him, too. He'd barely have time to move...

"Why would I have time?! I'm about to die, don't lie on that much. I know cats: the moment you catch me off guard, you're going to eat me!" The calm gaze turned to sheer horror within moments of the comment escaping the mouse's lips. "Wha-?! N-No... I-I don't eat living beings. That's just cruel!" The anger in the rodent's gray-green eyes shone brightly like flames in their sockets, not believing a single word. Certainly, this wasn't what he was expecting, but he was aware of at the sections of this boy's species. "B-But you're a cat! Do you seriously want me to believe that you're vegetarian?!" He closed his eyes and nodded simply. "I prrrromise you. No matter what happens, this remains the law I follow through and through as long as I live." 

"A cat's promise... How am I supposed to trust that? You look like the sort of cat who would be dying to devour anything, starving and disheveled as you are." In his annoyance, he had forgotten about being polite to this cat, per usual with him and those he thought of a possible, or certain, enemies. But this remark wasn't taken lightly: the catboy's ears drooped, tail seeming lifeless on the ground. His posture was much more slumped over as well, his eyes shut painfully as he opened them just slightly to reveal a trail of hurt tears. "You may be rrright with that, but beforrre my stomach comes my humanity! I could neverrrr live down the shame and guilt of murdering another in such a way...!" he replied with a shudder. "Never?" the mouse repeated the word with a sarcastic tone. "Never would you, not even if you were on the verge of death from starvation?" "You hearrrd me rrrrr-right the first time." he churred. "Judging by your skepticism, I'm supposing that you're new here?" 

The mouse froze. He could almost feel the sweat running from the catboy's palm in his worry and slight embarrassment. "Huh?! Y-Yeah... You're right, I haven't been here before." Now he was starting to relax a little more, but not completely. "I knew I hadn't seen you beforre... Then allow me to introduce myself." He set the mouse down and beamed at him again- this time very careful not to show a single tooth in the process. "I'm Armin." he said happily. "A-And you?" Still hesitant to warm up to Armin and his seemed hospitality, he eventually cleared his throat and spoke up. "The others took to calling me Eren." 

"Errrren. Errrrren." he purred. It rolled off of his tongue with that same bit of slurring to the r's that Armin seemed to be accustomed to in his somewhat feline pronunciation of the name. "That's a nice name. It's a pleasure to meet you, Eren." "Y-You too..." Though Eren was still deeply suspicious of what the blonde's true intentions were. "However, I've got a few questions: would you mind answering them for me?" 

"Not in the slightest." Armin replied, shaking his head. "What is it that's on your mind?" He had so many different questions, he didn't know where to start! So he just picked the one most constantly playing with his sanity. "A-Alright, so you don't eat meat? At all? Even if you found something already dead? And please answer honestly- at the moment, I have no options but to trust you... So I won't be running away from you." "W-Well, I don't torment living creatures and fill them with the dread of being devoured at the end of it. But even if it's already been chopped into pieces and not even recognizable as an animal anymore by sight, then... I'm not actually sure of that much. I haven't been given anything that luxurious since I was a kitten." 

His accent was fading the more he spoke, so that soon Eren could understand every word he said with clarity. "And, if I may ask... What the hell are you?!" Armin's posture straightened out, tail and ears standing on end before slinking back down. "Um... That's something I really can't answer. I-It's apparently a defect of sorts. Somehow, either it was at birth, or an accident occurred that scrambled up my genes... Perhaps I was injected with something when I was younger that made me slightly... Feline? I'm afraid I haven't the slightest clue. The master won't tell me anything about it." 

"Master? So you _are_ a slave?" Eren asked. Not as if he hadn't expected it, but it was still good to ask. "But then, why do you sound so educated? Surely, they wouldn't want you to have much intelligence if they're treating you at the level of livestock." Armin turned noticeably pale, fingers quivering slightly before responding. "L-Livestock?! N-No, more like... An exterminator. I'm expected to catch the mice and those they count as "pests" by simple command. But I've refused to do such on moral standards... And so the people who own the premises treat me harshly." He hesitated before continuing on with his answer. "As for the rest of it... I can't stand being without a book or two with me at all times. But I have to sneak out and read them... The moment they see me with it, they'll slash me across the face with a whip." 

"So... That explains your scars across..." "Half of those are from Mindy, actually." he acknowledged with a small chuckle. "Mindy... Don't think I've met her acquaintance. Who the fuck is she, beating you up like that?!" Now Eren was gradually starting to realize how Armin really was, and the fears of being devoured by the catboy had slipped out of his mind nearly completely. The lingering thought hadn't fully faded, but any concerns or worries had turned to fiery anger at the idea of someone hurting him, especially on what seemed to be a regular basis by his nonchalant reference to being bashed about. "Oh? That's right, you're new here. I forgot. Well, remember that cat that nearly pounced on you?" Eren rubbed his neck with one paw nervously. "Dear god, how could I forget... So that bitch is the one who keeps picking on you? Why don't you fight back? You've got a size advantage, seeing as she's an average cat by what glimpse of her I got..." "I've wanted to, but... It's hard to do when you're up against a verbal fighter while you are one yourself. And when I make it clear that she's discouraging me from my own morals, she fights back- and I am, truly, a terrible fighter. I have no interest in learning to, either. It only bruises a spot in another and yourself that could be solved much easier with a few words to soften hard feelings." 

It was in that moment that he truly understood what Armin was like; a damaged, broken soul in a mangled and battered body, who wanted nothing more than to live without harm nor harming anyone with a good book or two by his side. "Now that you mention it, that would be easier... It's a shame more people don't think of that. Well, now that I know you're not going to hurt me, would you mind if... I heard you mention there being other mice, and... I was wondering if I could meet them?" 

"Huh? Oh, yes, certainly! I'm sure they'd be excited to meet another new face... Here, let me help you get to them." He stretched in a rsther catlike manner, claws extended a few feet, before padding over behind Eren. His jaws gently locked onto the scruff of the mouse's neck, the little creature thrashing wildly in protest. He daren't utter one word, though made his discomfort apparent until he was set back down with the same carefulness. One gigantic blue eye stared through the little mouse hole to check for movement. "They'rrre all asleep now... Beterrrr for them to meet you in the morning when they're more alert and welcoming. Many apologies if you don't fancy it, but I believe that you'd be safer out herrrrre..." His feline accent was returning again with drowsiness, gently carrying the brown field mouse over to his bed of hay, straightening it out before setting Eren down. The blonde immediately settled down next to the little rodent, ears tucked down and tail settled down next to him. His hands gently rested on top of the mouse as to shield Eren from any possibly threats- namely Mindy, if she returned earlier than expected. On a daily basis, she'd be out of the barn all night and settle down only at day: Eren had only been an unfortunate soul to meet her during her hunger-driven awakening not quite an hour ago. But even this seemed a minor threat... He was willing to take any detours and risks to defend this mouse- all mice that he could get to trust him and lead into safe paws. 

And this was the life of the blonde, his only friends the rodents and supposed pests "infesting" the little farmyard he lived in, his only innocence a strict moral code, his only refuge the settings of the literature he could sneak in. He had thrown his only good chance of living above the ranks of a filthy animal, and declined them instantly in order to live under the often constricting weight of his humanity. Blood ran like rivers from other cats' mouths, but not one crimson drop tainted his own jaws. An interesting method of life, but it was the way he lived and liked things. Well, not liked... At times, the brutal mistreatment became horrifyingly unbearable, but if it was for the greater good of his friends- his only sense of family- then it was well worth it, by his own opinion. _I may not be the strongest person, but I'd walk through fire to keep them all safe and alive. For better of for worse... This is the life I've chosen, and there's no turning back now._ As the story of an unlikely friendship of animals went in turn. 

But just as Armin finally got himself to sleep, still and quiet, a horrible nightmare began to drum into his head.


	2. Lucid Dreams And Inevitable Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As memories return to Armin, they infect his dreams and render sleep impossible. Noticing this, Eren manages to snap him out of it - and reveal exactly what happened in the past.

A horrified shriek filled the air in seconds. Mice running for their lives, scattering and rushing in fear of an approaching threat. Tail raised high in the air, fire rushing in his veins, was the very same catboy that the rodents had grown to trust over time. Raised to hunt with no experience otherwise, however, had shaped him into a natural-born killer. _Come here, if I don't show them something at the end of this, I'm done for! A few more steps... I can make it..._ One of the mice came a bit too close to his paw-like hands, finding the little creature with ease and snatching it up by the tail with a sort of pride. _By the end of this, I'll be well off. Mindy's going to be pleased with me for my first hunt!_ Dangling the creature by its tail from his thumb and forefinger, he then saw something he had never seen before: the mouse's body was thrown back in agony, minute paws tucked firmly onto its chest: a display begging for the most sincere of mercy. Its silver fur was stained crimson with the blood leaking from its tail, struggling to be put down. Another agonized shriek filled the air as Armin realized what he had done... _This is another living creature, just as I am. Its life is just as valuable to it as my own. To think that one slash of claws would deprive it of this right..._

But his thoughts were interrupted by a horrible screeching again, his ocean-colored eyes looking down intently in his grasp. Squeaking, hollering, yowling... The longer he held it, the more panicked the little rodent became. Struggling, tossing, attempting to break free... He had no heart to hurt the little creature, letting it run free on the dew-soaked grass. "Armin!" 

Every inch of his fur bristled as he heard the angered tone. _Damnit. Mindy saw that, didn't she?_ "Armin! What the hell was that for, you idiot?!" A set of claws raked against his skin, drawing crimson droplets of blood. "You had every ounce of control- every ounce of fate- to take the damned rodent and devour it, but did you?! DID YOU?!" The feline's tail puffed up, her full body appearing more immense with every second of her furious state. "Absolutely not! Of all the damned things you've done to screw up your life... THAT was the worst. Don't you ever want to be a successful hunter, someone who the kittens in the sheds from miles around look up to for skill and cunning?" He didn't answer- the fear of her fury and the guilt of very nearly committing murder making him too paralyzed to speak. _Anything I say will only infuriate her to new heights... She expected me to commit murder... No matter what she says now, I won't submit to do anything of that sort._ "Armin, did you hear me?! Armin?! Armin!!! ARMIN!!!" 

A pair of claws scrabbled at his face every time his name was called. Heavy eyelids opened so his ocean blue eyes looked directly at the chestnut-colored fur of the mouse he had rescued the day before. His vision foggy, he squinted up at the familiar rodent. "Errrrren?" The blonde had thought it odd that the mottled cat had called out to him in a mouse's dialect, though now the reason was clear. _So it was only a memory finding its way into my sleep. Lucid dreams... That's all... But why did it return to me? Why now?!_ The thought was anything but something he fancied, shoving it as far back into the corners of his mind as he could, and trying to forget it with all he tried to make it up as a protector opposed to a hunter. But it had been the choice that had formed his life as he knew it; not something that was easy to let escape his mind fully. 

His attention snapped back to the worried gaze of the mouse as he explained with a small sigh. "Thank god you're awake. I was starting to get worried about you- were you aware of the fact you were tossing and turning, as if to shake out or cure whatever had tainted your dreams?" So it was that bad... The blonde didn't respond, sitting up gently lest he knock the mouse off his nose in his shock. "T-They werrren't tainted... Not with anything but a few memorries I wish could leave me be." Eren deserved a mild explanation, after all, but the details could break the trust the brown mouse had given him without the slightest doubt. 

Eren clambered down a bit, jumped off his new friend's nose and into a waiting hand below him. While it distressed him to hear, dwelling on it or prying for information wouldn't suit either of them well in the slightest. After all, he was a cat- certainly he couldn't believe the blonde hadn't eaten mice before, perhaps without choice when he was too young to hunt for himself. But he had clearly reformed since then and made it his job to oversee the safety of these rodents opposed to hunting them down. "It pains me to see you like this, though I'm sure you're going to me alright. It was just a memory- certainly the occurrence won't be repeated again?" Now he could see rather clearly that the catboy was allowing this to take over any spare thoughts of the memory that had attacked his dreams. "W-Would talking about it help you in even the slightest?" 

The blonde's ears drooped again, tail swishing in distress at the kind squeaking: he knew that Eren meant well, but what thoughts or ideas would characterize the rodent's mind if he did? But ever still, the thought became more preferable to shutting it up again. It was always something on the matter of moral standing grounds- but with each dream, the ending changed; on occasion, he did spill the creature's blood within the fabric of his dream, overruling  any hopes instinct had fully left him, controlled or not. And, of course, the other cat was a problem to the matter that needed consideration. _Under my watch, the only blood that will be spilled is my own... Though if Mindy gets to them, how will I get to them in time? She's much quicker than me, I doubt I'd even get to them in time... And much stronger, even if she's at a disadvantage from her size... Then I suppose, whether I fancy it or not, there will be no way of evading a brawl... She's impossible to reason with, and without words, my preference or weaponry, I'm defenseless... Without arms but a set of strong claws and vicious teeth that I vowed to live without unless under the worst threat of all..._

"I haven't the slightest right to pry, Armin, and yet I can tell there's something on your mind... Something I am unsure of. Please understand that my fear is heightened further by the lack of knowledge than gaining some that is most troubling. If the thing you seek to hide is a past life of eating and perhaps hunting yourself, I am aware that is inevitable for a creature raised to kill. I have no doubts that..." His voice, a bit harsh to the ears with his nervous tone, but got the point of worry and concern more than clearly across as he continued with a small gulp. "... I have no doubts that there was a time that you were just as voracious and predatory as an average cat. If that's the thing you wish to hide from me, forget it... I've had time to accept that, in a way, this is how life works. However, you have chosen to go against all of this to outwardly show alliance and courage to protect animals that would be considered mere prey to any other feline, and I respect that whatever happened in the past, will remain in the past because of this." So Eren did understand to this extent... In a way, he was right: Mindy was always so strict in her teachings, and the cat would have been anything but please by the idea of her teachings disregarded as the catboy had done the instant he could. "So you already knew... And yet, it doesn't frighten you in the least?" 

Eren stopped short, his brown fur bristling with a small shudder at this. "W-Well, I wouldn't say that... In all honesty, I can't stand to imagine you doing something so... Primitive and crude, especially from what I know about your intelligence..." He stopped short as the catboy's tail puffed up slightly in concern. "But... I have little choice but to trust you, now, do I? Your concern for such thoughts is apparent, so I doubt you'd ever do something of that sort ever again." The feline emitted a soft sigh of relief in response: good, so at least this much was settled. "I cannot deny getting that much cleared up helped, but... My largest concern is Mindy- always on the prowl, always fiercely lustful forr blood." 

The little rodent had spread himself out onto the fuzzy palm of Armin's hand on his back, rubbing his neck with a paw absently. "I've noticed..." he grumbled. "Damned cat almost clawed me to pieces...! If it weren't for you, I'd be cat food in an instant... I owe you one, Armin..." The two mulled over the thoughts of last night. Yes, if it weren't for the blonde's quick thinking, they both well knew that Mindy would've torn him to pieces without second thought: the Id being her main thought, nothing stood a chance against her fierce claws and hunger. Hadn't he been quick enough, he'd have lost a mouse before even acquiring the rodent's name. 

"L-Let's not dwell on it..." Armin breathed at last. "By now, I'm sure you're quite hungry, after traveling such a dreadful path all the way up here... Why don't we get some breakfast before I send you off to meet the others?" There was only a little nod from Eren in silent agreement. "Y-You're right... All this talk of predatory instincts is sincerely testing my nerves." Yet again, Armin gently held him by the scruff of his neck between his teeth, and all Eren could think was _I went away from my home to escape the threat of cats, and what happens? A cat turns out to be my only source of protection out here._ While being, even so lightly, dangled from the catboy's jaws, he felt a bit uneasy, yet protected all the same. Having another barrier from gnashing jaws and ferocious teeth was a relief, especially one so willing to serve this role through and through like this feline. 

Armin's fashion of walking was a bit awkward: more cat-based than not, on fours so that his tail stuck straight up opposed to the human fashion on the two legs he possessed. Eren suspected he had been raised by a cat- perhaps the blasted fiend of a feline Mindy- so this gait made enough sense. Odd as it looked, he seemed comfortable and effective with it as he trotted right along to a small area in the farm marked off, plots brimming with various fruits. The small slap of hands hitting the ground was amplified some as Armin made his way across to a small field of strawberries, situating his newfound friend more comfortably and running back to the farm. 

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The little mouse began to gnaw at the fruit, quite relaxed by the safety of his current location. He had indeed grown to trust the cat over the course of the past few hours- after all, why wouldn't he? Armin had proven his loyalty more than enough. Because if he had wanted to, he could've- and surely would've- carried him off somewhere and gulped him down the moment he had shown any signs of hunger corrupting his mind. Quite the contrary was apparent, seeing as he had offered the food to him before even thinking much on his own part. _He's peculiar for a cat, yet no less likable... More so than an average cat or human, with their guns, claws, traps, teeth, and knives... Much more so with his simple understanding of emotion and his ability to keep a unique sense of humanity._ The fruit he was munching on soon disappeared in time. 

The crimson juices dripped heavily down the catboy's own chin, spattering the front of his tattered garments and leaning back gently with the little rodent on his chest. His eyes were shut gently, almost peacefully on the soft bed of hay. While his expression was one that seemed happy, there was still a minor bit of gnashing of his teeth, as if pained as he fell backward lightly, tail drooping beside him. "Armin, you alright there?" Eren asked, relaxing some only with the catboy's weak nod. _Damn, he's stranger than I thought... But when I think about it, I wouldn't want it any other way. Odd for a cat, but not terrible for an ally at all. Wonderful, actually... And I still haven't the time to ask him all I wish._

"Um, Armin... I was just wondering if you'd mind I ask you a few more questions..." Even his made him nervous, holding onto his pink, worm-like tail and rolling the end in his tiny paws; his ears were drawn back, too, as though nervous of something; avoiding the gentle gaze of the catboy and trying to conceal how flushed he was underneath his thick blanket of hazelnut fur. "Er... When did you develop your distaste for meat...? Being a cat, normally speaking, I'd expect that the flesh of another creature would be all you'd hunger for." 

"The... Most accurate way to answer that is, despite my secondary breed, I'm not- well- normal. I wouldn't say that even people like Mindy are, either... But..." Claws gripped the hay, a notable shudder and almost unearthly gasp came out as he exhaled. "I'm not very good at explaining, but... The other mice would probably do a better job..."


	3. The Laboratory's Mice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren gets further intel into the lives of the mice, Armin's past, and their connection to him. However, they do run into some trouble.
> 
> [Warning for some semi-detailed descriptions of violence and uncomfortable subject matter.]

The Laboratory's Mice

As if being this small wasn't difficult enough. Like this, anything larger than you would easily make a meal out of you. Crushed, stomped on, batted around, ripped limb for limb, eaten whole... The possibilities were endless for a little mouse like himself, especially around a cat, no less. The idea of curling up with a ravenous beast had never occurred to the little rodent, yet he couldn't help but trust the catboy. He should've seen his last hours long, long ago to the razor-sharp fangs, and yet... What was it about him...? If he had any intentions of eating him in the end, he was _really_ good at hiding it- Eren didn't have to ask to know how neglected and hungry the blonde was. And even when the morning had come and it was all too easy to tell the hunger eating away at his stomach, he hadn't made a single move for him, going so far as sharing what was probably the only sustenance for the boy. But to be friends with a cat...? Ridiculous! Yet it was true... Perhaps the other mice, more accustomed to this strange hybrid of a seemingly- and hopefully -gentle giant, would know a bit more about his quirks. "Seeing the other mice sounds like a good idea, thanks." 

Being a bit more comfortable with Armin's combination of breeds, the thing that intimidated him most was his _size, _something he hadn't thought much of in fear he'd be eaten by the boy. But now that it was apparent there was no worrying over that, the height difference was still something he was sure would unnerve him the rest of his life- not as though even the most simple words of comfort would changer the fact the catboy was huge compared to him. Especially in this position, sitting with his feet touching each other in an almost cross-legged style, head tilted ( _probably just another cat thing I've yet to learn_ , he thought, dismissing it as such), eyes focused on him, it was too obvious just how small he was compared to the boy. Hell, his ears were practically the size of his entire body when they perched atop his head, perfectly straight up. And besides, he was at least ten times the size of him in general, if not larger. Standing like this, his fuzzy form barely came up to his knee, barely his ankle when he stood at his full height. The tail swishing curiously behind him could easily lose a mouse in the dense spread of fur covering it from origin to tip. Each finger was roughly half his width, some of them standing a good few inches above his head. The fingernails, while trimmed quite well, especially for a catboy as bedraggled as he were each smoothed into a point- though there was some evidence of trying to file back a number of them, resulting in a much more jagged and messy cut than the majority of them. __

__But though his eyes were easily three times the size of his own, there was still that calming sense to them. It couldn't reduce his size, but it could his hostility. He was a lover, not a fighter- that much was obvious no matter how conflicted his emotions. He's just have to stop telling himself to worry about the feline harming him... Being a mouse trust wasn't something that typically came to his mind, so it was hard to recognize and hold onto. Every moment it changed... But always came back to the same conclusion: he was, thankfully, safe, no matter what horrors or splendors met his eye. Even- There was that unsettling grin again. A gesture of happiness and delight, yet still looked so hostile with each of those razor-sharp teeth unsheathed, both eyebrows raised, and a eyes shut gently. It was another thing on his list he was sure he'd have to get used to in time. _Thank god this Goliath is on my side...__ _

__"I'm sure they'll all be happy to see you- oh, this way." A claw-tipped finger pointed towards the same hole in the wall he had tried to seek refuge from the night before. "They're in that little mouse hole, see?" He could feel a rather massive gust of air behind him, a wet, catlike nose pushing him forward to the hole. Though his paws pushed against the kitty's face, it was far more the simple instincts than will that caused him to do so. Each moment, the little nudge pushed him closer and closer to the hole before eventually giving a final, upward nudge, the boy sitting upward in the same fashion as before. "G-Go ahead. They're not hostile." His eyes locked with those pale crystals, an almost urging look playing upon the catboy's eyes. What was it...? A swishing, splotched tail in the distance was all he needed to gulp back as much fear as he could and dash into the little hole._ _

__Twenty eyes focused directly on his nervous form. There was a pretty decent variation of expressions on their faces: some confused, some a little annoyed, some cold and emotionless, all curious. He felt trapped in each rodent's gaze, their stares pinpointing him, making him feel like a rat in a trap. At a time like this, with so many new faces, he lost his dominant aura entirely, his own emerald eyes fixated on the rodents before his eyes. What would they think of him? As a friend, or an enemy? Were newcomers taken lightly here? These questions and thousands more swam in his head, each on trying to surface the waves, piling up on each other and drowning some out. Feet shifted, and at last, a voice broke from above the crowd: "So, the softy rescued another one." A shudder ran along his spine and turned- the mouse in question was further towards the back, a portion of the fur on her head combed back, a few strands hanging on either side of her face. The fur on the back of her neck stood up a little, combed from the front backwards into a messy ponytail. "I still don't get his practices- why doesn't he just eat us if he's starving so much? He'll probably go for the ones he's got less time to connect with, anyways..." "Ymir!" Another mouse hissed. "Why don't you shut the fuck up, bitch?! He's new here!" So far, things weren't promising as the other mouse stepped forward._ _

__His fur was much less dense than the majority, a light gray from head to foot. His tail had just a small tuft of fur at the base, but was otherwise completely hairless. "What do you want, Connie? I'm simply being honest with him. And even if the cat can't get over his psychological dependence to us, there's always the other one..." "Both of you, stop it!" A golden mouse stepped out from behind the brown rodent, now recognized as "Ymir." Her pale blue eyes softened a bit as they fell on the dumbfounded mouse in the corner. "So, you're new here?" Her voice was almost angelic, really- she, unlike the rodent beside her, seemed already like a nice person- but the overall of her kindness still seemed almost faked, as if there was another part of her that she was desperately trying to cover up. It didn't quite seem... Natural... However, the outlook to her wasn't nessicarily unpleasant. She was quite a bit shorter than him on their hind legs, he noticed, as she made her way over, extending a paw to shake his hand. "I'm Krista. And you are?" "Eren." he replied, taking the paw in greeting. "I hope it's alright if I stay here, my barn got overrun with cats... And, unfortunately, took out a good chunk of my family. But I'll get them back, someday..."_ _

__Ears twitched and tails swished, the rodents gathering around the newcomer. "How are you going to do that?!" "Did you encounter them?!" "What was it like?!" "G-Guys, don't overwhelm him! He's barely been here five minutes! I'm sure he doesn't want to remember such things instantly after getting here!" Now, here it seemed there was someone who was honest about themselves. Nervous and shy as he seemed just from this moment of speech, Eren had a feeling he and the other mouse would get along just fine. Another paw extended in front of his snout. Now he could see the various splotches of darker brown in the fur, a friendly smile spread across his face. "I'm Marco. Nice to meet you, Eren."_ _

__He met the mouse's eyes best he could, while looking around the mouse hole. It was pretty dimly lit, aside from the crack of daylight spreading from the entry crevice. It was a little difficult to transition to, but as soon as his eyes finally adjusted he could see that it was somewhat more akin to a human household. Tables made of buttons sat atop spools of thread; little bottle caps heaped with food served as bowls. Cotton balls sat on a fixture of what appeared to be Popsicle sticks glued together, squares of cardboard with the same bedding. And each one had a little piece of fabric on them... _So these mice fancy living in a more human like fashion, do they? Can't say I'd complain about it... Unnatural as it is, those cotton balls look really soft..._ And on his aching legs from the night before, the idea seemed all the more relaxing- but at the moment, no other mouse had stirred... Perhaps now would be a good time to get the information he wanted. "W-Well, I'm not sure how life is for you, but... The cat really _is_ humane- he's not just putting on an act, right?" _ _

__The mouse beside him seemed a little shocked, though soon calmed down a bit and replied with a calm attitude. "Armin? No, he really is that gentle. You could probably slap him in the face and he'd apologize. The mottled cat, on the other hand... She's trouble. You should stay away from her if you want to live- she has taken quite a few mice prior to your arrival." Alright- there was some reassurance. At least he wasn't facing down two hungry cats- though the mention of the other cat's behavior sent a chill up his spine. "... How threatening is she...? I saw her the night before, but then Armin pulled me away before she-" Marco stiffened for a moment, tail sticking straight up. "Dear god, you're lucky to still be alive... Nearly all the mice she's caught sight of for long have become meals to her- that definitely explains the outburst from last night: she doesn't like to be thwarted, you see. I thought I was just mishearing one of Armin's nightmares thinking it was her..."_ _

__"Now that you mention it, he was acting a little strange last night. He just started picking me up and handling me, but that wasn't even the strange part... He started twitching, muttering things in his sleep like 'come back' and 'don't leave me'- what the hell was up with that?" "I'm afraid to say that's pretty typical for him." Marco replied, his voice changing to a concerned tone. "We've all been through a lot, but he got the worst of it, I'm afraid. You see, quite a number of us were from a laboratory focused on giving furry creatures 'human intellect'... Let's just say it's not as to the point as the humans were trying to be. It's kinda a long story, though..." His paws wrapped around his tail somewhat nervously. "I-It's fine- if it'll let me understand his perspective of things, it's worth it. I'm sure it would relieve some tension..."_ _

__A tail flicked in the direction of the "sofa" in the corner. "Well, you might as well make yourself comfortable..."_ _

__*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_ _

__"It started with a plan to make us animals much more easily manipulated. With the addition to human genes to our current animalistic, "less civilized" ones, they planned to dominate the animal kingdom on a completely different level. Take Armin's case. They started off with a cat, gradually injecting more and more of the genetics into him, trying to get him to become an easily controlled exterminator. Thing is, they made the mistake of putting him in a cage of mice to start off with- probably two weeks after his birth. He had enough time to develop _some_ of those vital feline instincts, but not enough to pose much threat to us. In the initial weeks, he was terrifying, just as any cat. He wasn't old enough to, thankfully, be eating solid food, though he had some pretty vicious tendencies when he first started out, what with the toys he was given... From the first look, you'd b surprised that's the person we let protect us for so long. However, there was, as humans often make, a fatal flaw in the plan for rodent annihilation- the time he spent with us countered out the time he'd learned from the other cats to hunt and kill. Instead, for the majority of the time we raised him. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do- mice aren't the best parents for a creature large as him. And he was always very sick from the injections they administered- at least once a month he'd get horrifically ill from them, unmoving and unable to respond. Whatever was in this serums was, and still is, toxic to his body. He still gets these sicknesses from time to time._ _

__"We were without the knowledge of how to help him through these. The majority of the mice in his cage brought him food and kept him company, but a cure was never found. Either that, or our human captors weren't willing to give it to him, which could explain some of it... Perhaps they thought he needed to be stronger than he was, and so denied him the access to these medications to strengthen his body. Cats aren't supposed to be meddled with like that, made to become something they're not, tortured into submission with injections powerful enough to kill a whole colony of mice. There was a time he was only our size, and that was when they started on it. Though with us, their killing machine became a fluff ball. The more pain he experienced, the more we tried to help him. It was originally for our own sake, but in the end, you could say the majority of us grew quite fond of him- except the rat of our colony, Ymir. In a group of mice they added in a single rat- humans certainly have interesting ideas on what species should mingle._ _

__"The humans tried to win him back as the killer they thought they'd raised. By the time he was able to eat general food they'd take away all other food and throw in slabs of meat. The majority of the tidbits consisted of pieces of mice from other enclosures, but he would refuse to eat them. He had enough of their intellect by then to recognize what it was and, by moral standards, reject it. He could manage a few human words by then, though always thickly muffled with chirps and purrs- things like 'don't want' and 'family, not food.' He'd choose to sit there and starve a bit the majority of the time until they took the carcass, picked him up roughly by the scruff of the neck and shove it down his throat. I can't recall a time he didn't kick and scream about it, though... And it was both horrific and heartbreaking to watch, and I'm sorry I remember it so clearly. He tried many things to get out of it: screaming out as many human words he could to try and distract them; biting their hands until they bled; scratching the hell out of them; each time, it was the same thing he'd scream: 'Not food! Not food!' But they wouldn't listen to him. They'd force feed him it anyways, and he'd always have the most guilty expression- he always knew who it was they'd fed him, choking out their name and calling himself a monster. We were never scared of him, though. The only fear we'd have is that it would be out turn to be chopped into pieces and cause him so much self hatred._ _

__"But there was another cat, and I think you've met her acquaintance-" "Mindy's involved with this, too?! She's from the same place?!" This was a bit too much to take in- oh, how horrific the notion of it was. "Unfortunately, she is. Mindy was always the bad cat we tried to avoid. She liked Armin originally, but once he sided with the mice her temper got fiercer. Then the humans put him into her cage. Mindy was a bitch, even to him. She cared not for him, and could care less long as he ate the tidbits of mouse slid into the cage. For a while, he forgot about us. She taught him some important skills too late into his life. Often times she'd trick him into thinking the meat was something else and get him to eat it- but even then he despised the taste. A few years had passed in her company, and by then he had neglected us entirely. She knew how to heal his sicknesses far better than we did. Mindy was under a different treatment than him- she can speak english, but had and still remains without a moral code, and tried to erase his. We wouldn't be alive today if it had worked._ _

__"By the fourth year on the treatment, the humans let both of them out, alongside of a handful of us. That was probably the worst day of our lives. Now we had to avoid them as the humans looked on, trying to see if it had worked. He made some headway ahead of her- the majority of the physical human traits you see he possesses were apparent. If you haven't noticed already, he walks strangely, because while he had a mostly human body he was trained to, and preferred, walking in a more catlike manner, which both derailed and increased his speed after us. He caught Connie by the tail after a good twenty-minute chase. Something about this triggered his upbringing... While he didn't remember his name, he apologized and let him go._ _

__"Mindy was furious when she discovered what he had done. Many of the scars across his face and arms were from that incident- she really took it out on him. She asked him why he let him go, and Armin couldn't quite put a finger on it. The injections he was given, you see, also erased a good chunk of his memories alongside his catlike form. But he didn't exactly fight back... He started talking again, like it seems he's still so accustomed to doing. He screamed 'where's your humanity?!' the entire time she attacked him, never moving a muscle to do more than try to block out her blows. He'll fight back now if she gets too rough, but only if he's got one of us around... The easiest thing to liken this behavior to is one of those human stereotypes of an over-protective father. He has to be, though, so I'll just give you a bit of a warning beforehand that he may get a bit fierce with his protective methods at times..._ _

__"The majority of us didn't survive, I'm afraid. There was a fire, and while there were only human casualties besides us mice, that was for a reason: the demon cat snuck up on our cages, unlatched it and chased us all down. She got the massive majority of us- out of a hundred, I'd say thirty survived. When I think about it, she probably had help from the other cats, but she maimed a ton of us if nothing else, so we couldn't move and lost our lives. Those of us who did survive were the ones in the cages closest to him. Armin took his time in the fire, unlatching all the cages he could. The ones he could carry the most of were us- the ones of us who survived wouldn't have lived without his help. He ran back several times, and phoned the fire department. We'll never know what happened to the rest of them, or if they even survived. Eventually the humans took him and fifteen mice with him. I was lucky enough to be one of the fifteen._ _

__"They wanted to see if they could put Armin and Mindy into action like they intended for him to, and so this barn became their shelter. Mindy proved a fierce hunter, taking the lives of our five other comrades. The first of them was Mina. That was the first time I'd seen Armin so angry as he was that day. He didn't try much but did give her a pretty decent slash across the back. Whatever of us he could unlatch from her grasp were brought to this hole here, but that wasn't too many. Much as he tries his best to protect us, Mindy's ruthless and often wins against him. That's why I'm amazed she hadn't gotten to you, considering how close she got to you... Far as I see it, we don't have much choice but to trust him. The ones of us who are newer here took some time to adjust to him as well, but don't worry. As long as you're here, you're safe, my friend."_ _

__Well... That was a much different story than he was expecting. To be honest he didn't know what he'd assumed, but it wasn't anything alongside the lines of that pure torture. There were a couple things left on his mind, but that was the majority... So he wouldn't eat meat after that, no doubt- that explained the peculiar vegetarianism. It was now apparent that he wasn't the one raising the mice, but more the mice raising _him-_ and in return, he stood his ground to guard them. "He tries to act more like an adult than he is, you see. But he's much softer than that and can crack under pressure more easily... He's trying his best, but he's still an adolescent. It might take a bit of time for you to adjust, just remember he doesn't mean you any harm until and after then. You're stuck with him in any case, and there's not much you can do about that."_ _

__Great. So his options were either to stay under the cat's protection without much sight of the world, or to travel in fear. Which one was worse? "I take it he doesn't take kindly to the prospect of adventure, then?" He waited for the answer in dread, nervously watching the mice looking at him with confusion. "Actually, quite the opposite. He's pretty much trapped here but I can't say he doesn't have that adventurous spark in his heart. If you talk to him about it, there would be some mixed feelings, though... If the farmer hears him utter a word about it without catching a mouse, he'll get into some serious trouble. They don't like the idea of him living his own life, and especially abhor the notion of him keeping us away from all the slaughter. It doesn't help they're some of the same humans who tortured us in the first place..." "What sorts of things did they do to you, anyways? You were in the same lab... Surely you got some of the pain from it..." His only reply was a small laugh. "Us? Oh no, we didn't get any of the treatments. We just learned a thing or two from the humans and whatever injections they'd get mixed in. Sometimes we'd switch out ourselves for Armin when the needles were near, to lessen and feel the same pain. It didn't come into effect physically, though- and we never got that dreadful sickness. Our minds just... Adapted a bit, became more human than the rest of the others. And figured out how to create some of this stuff you see around you. We had some help obtaining the items, but the majority of the crafting was our own handiwork."_ _

__"It's amazing, really- where'd you even _find_ the materials for this? Isn't it difficult to fine things like this, not to mention the threat that damned mottled cat holds on your lives?" Marco looked around for a moment, as though trying to recall the answer. "There used to be a couple traders who'd come by this area and sell their wares. All magpies and crows, but if you offered a decent price for items- typically  judged by the shininess of the object you're giving them- you could get some pretty interesting things. Now these Mindy would leave alone, long as they stayed away from her and didn't disturb her hunts. I'm still not sure why she let them live... But she did, and that's that. If Armin knows where they are you could probably get him to tail you and then perhaps you'd be able to try and trade with them, or at least see who I'm talking about." His lips curled into a light smile once more. "Of course, what's the rush? You've barely gotten here! Not to mention that Mindy's outside. You'll stay here if you know what's good for you." _ _

__Eren glanced at the being from the shadows of the crevice, chuckling softly to himself. _She can't be as bad as she seems... I bet it's all an act to keep us mice in place. I refuse to submit to fear at all costs of my life._ Just to test freedom, he stepped one paw out: the feline sniffed the air, apprehending his next motions. Another paw made its way out, then his snout. The feline turned around, eyes coldly staring at him, but not moving. Maybe she was laying off, perhaps she'd already gotten her fill of other creatures... Besides, there wasn't anyone to stop him at the moment, now, was there? Armin was out of sight, and he was sure he could outrun the cat if he knew she was coming. "Eren, what on earth are you doing?!" He didn't respond to the mouse, carefully slinking out of the hole, quietly padding over to the walls in case he needed to take shelter. That was the moment Mindy decided it was the right time to strike, claws fastening to his tail quick as lightning. "Now now, what have we got here?"_ _


End file.
